The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-02-19
The Sunday School.
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 81, 1887.
BY REV. ROBERT T. POLK.
DESTRUCTION OF S0D0M.
TGenesis xix. 1921
LOT.

All that is known of Lot is connected with
the history of his Uncle Abraham. He was
the SON of Abraham's brother, Haran, who
died before the family of Terah, Abraham's
father, left Ur of the Chaldees, to dwell in
Haran. The place to which the family emil
grated was probably called Haran in MEM
ory of the deceased son and brother. The
family of Haran was naturally left to the
care of the patriarch Terah. Besides Lot
there were two daughters, Micah, who be-
came the wife of Abraham's brother, Major,
and Iscah, who, if, as some think, is the same
as Sarai, was the wife of Abraham. After
the death of Terah, Lot became identified,
or at least associated, with the family of
Abraham. He accompanied him in the
migration to Canaan, where their united
possessions, consisting chiefly of cattle, be-
coming too large to be subsisted in the same
locality, they separated. Lot, availing him.
self of his uncle's generosity, chose the fer
tile and well-watered Plain of the Jordan for
his future home, and journeyed toward Sod
ON, the chief of its four fourishing cities.
Having greatly prospered, no doubt, ne
finally took up his residence in that city,
where he probably married. Like many an
other ambitious young man, he went to the
city to seek his fortune and to make
money" Though he may have continued to
prosper in his business and to have attained
prominence and affluence in the city, he yet
was unfortunately situated. The city was
exceedingly wicked, and his righteous soul
was daily vexed with what he saw and heard
q Peter, ii. y. Not long after becoming
resident of Sodom, he was captured IN a RAID
of the eastern kings upon the Plain, but was
rescued by Abraham. Notwithstanding the
evil and debasing influences with which he
was surrounded, and the high position he
may have attained az resident OF the city,
Lot still preserved the chivalrous hospitality
of his migratory shepherd-life. His hospital
ity is probably referred to by the author of
the Epistle to the Hebrews, in language that
has passed into familiar proverb: "Be
not forgetful to entertain strangers, for
thereby some have entertained angels I'M
awares." In the context of our Lesson two
men, who proved to be messengers from
JEHOVAH, to declare the doom of the wicked
city, are reported to have arrived at Sodom
in the evening, when Lot sat in the gate,
whom he urged to accept the hospitality OF
his home, which they did. That Lot sat in
the gate of Sodom " may indicate his dis
tinguished prominence among the inhabi-
tants of the city. Within the gate of an east
ern city was court, the place for public
meetings and the transaction of business.
1t was the City Hall. Lot was an alderman
of Sodom. He is characterized by Mr..
Moody, in one of his sermons, as "the Hon.
Mr.. Lott, of Sodom." There is a tradition
that he was Judge" of Sodom, based, no
doubt, in the statement contained in verse 8
of the context. While Lot was Hospitality en-
pertaining his strange guests, the lawless Sod
omites exhibited the excess of their wicked
nessby mobbing his house. The effort of the
mob was defeated by the interference of the
two strange men, and sudden blindness,
confusion of vision or dense darkness. The
men announced to Lot the object of their
mission-to declare in the name of JEHOVAH
the immediate destruction of the wicked city,
and warned Lot to bring his family out to
place of safety. Ten righteous men were
not found to save the city. But GoD remem-
bered righteous Abraham, and delivered his
beloved relative, Lot, from the destruction
which He sent upon the wicked cities in which
he dwelt.